


legato

by words_unravel



Series: General Prompt Fills [4]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Community: cottoncandy_bingo, M/M, Piano
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-23
Updated: 2012-12-23
Packaged: 2017-11-22 04:44:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 918
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/605957
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/words_unravel/pseuds/words_unravel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Louis offers to take his sister to her piano lesson. The fact that Liam's home from university has nothing to do with that. No, really.</p>
            </blockquote>





	legato

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Lex](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lex/gifts).



> Written for Lex's choices of 2, 3, and A - hopefully she'll enjoy what she didn't know she was asking for!!
> 
> This is unbeta'd due to length; however, if you see something atrociously incorrect, please let me know!!

* * *

If the look his mum is sending his way is any indication, Louis may have been just a bit too enthusiastic about offering to drive Daisy to her piano lesson. He ignores it though, grabbing the car keys off the hook and hurrying his sister along. 

"Awfully helpful today, aren't you?" she grins up at him. Jay's standing in the door way to the kitchen, watching the two of them. She looks amused. Even more so when Daisy adds, "Liam's home for the holidays, I think. I don't suppose that's anything to do with your hel--mph!" 

Louis slaps a hand over his sister's mouth, but the damage is already done and Jay's laughter follows the two of them out the door. 

"You're a menace," he tells his sister. She grins at him with all her teeth and he's torn between despair and pride. Shoving her forward, he just says, "Now get in the car." 

 

The thing is Louis's had this stupid crush for over a year now. Ever since he'd come to pick up Daisy from a lesson and found this curly-haired boy at the piano, face entirely too serious. Louis couldn't help leaning over the other side and making silly faces until he'd smiled back. 

That'd been the first mistake, really, because Liam - as Daisy'd told him later - had the sweetest smile Louis'd ever seen. The second mistake had been making Liam laugh, seeing the way the skin crinkled at the corner of his eyes, the tiny divots at the top of his cheeks. That was the moment that had sealed Louis's fate. 

Of course, a second later they'd been interrupted by Daisy, Liam's mum, and the arrival of Liam's _girlfriend_. 

He's done his best not to think about it, but every so often Liam's home from university and Louis gets caught up all over again. Liam's a serious fellow, but he always laughs at Louis like he's the funniest thing ever. It doesn't help. 

 

Louis pauses, nervous, and rubs his sweaty palms over his thighs. Looking over her shoulder at his delay, Daisy rolls her eyes. "You're so silly, Lou," she tells him with a shake of her head. He scowls in her direction, but she's already bounding up the stairs and into the house. With a sigh and shake of his own head, Louis follows. 

He walks in just as Liam's telling Daisy that his mum is waiting in the back practice room. She smiles sweetly and says, "Oh good! You can keep Louis company then!' before turning and making her way down the hallway. When she's out of Liam's eye-line, she takes a couple of steps backwards, blowing Louis a kiss. 

If he didn't want to throttle her so much at the moment, Louis would wipe a tear of pride from his eye. Instead, he turns to face Liam. 

"Oh. Your hair." 

Liam ducks his head, rubbing a hand self-consciously over his buzz-cut. "Yeah, I broke up with my girlfriend--" Louis's hearing does _not_ go a little static-y at that. Still, he tunes back in just as Liam finishes, "--quite like not having to do much other than run a towel over it." He smiles and Louis smiles back immediately. He's definitely not thinking of Liam and showers. 

Or the fact that Liam is single. 

Okay, he's totally thinking about all of those things. 

"So," he steps closer to the piano, sliding onto the bench. Liam makes some room, but the bench isn't very big to begin with. Louis concentrates on his words and does his best to ignore the warm length of Liam's legs along his. "How's single life treating you then?" 

Liam laughs, knocking his shoulder against Louis's. "S'not bad, I guess. A bit weird." He plays out a soft little tune with his left hand and Louis tries not to stare at his fingers. 

"What's a bit weird?" he manages to ask. The tendons in Liam's wrist shift. Louis has this weird urge to lick them. 

"I've not really been single in a long while." Louis can see Liam frown from the corner of his eye. It makes him glance over. "S'one of the things she said when she left, that maybe I was more in love with being in a relationship than who I was in the relationship with." 

Louis snorts. "Were you in love with her?" Liam looks at him, fingers going still on the keys. "Were you?" Louis asks again and Liam nods. His eyes really _are_ the loveliest shade of brown. Louis shoves the thought away; he's trying to help, not make cow eyes. 

"I was, yeah." Liam tells him, tilting his head as he stares intently at Louis. It makes Louis swallow. 

"Well there's that, then," he says primly, turning his attention to the piano in front of him. He plonks out _Mary Had a Little Lamb_ with one finger and Liam laughs. 

"You're so odd, Lou." His stomach jumps a little. Liam reaches over, positioning Louis's fingers fully over the piano keys. "I like it though," he adds and Louis looks up to find a soft smile on Liam's face. He's leaning into Louis's side, easy and still too warm. It feels like Louis's heart is going to beat out of his chest. 

"Good," he manages to get out. Liam's smile widens. 

"Good," he repeats back. His hand is still curved around Louis's. "You want to learn how to play that for real?" he asks after a moment. 

All Louis can do is nod.


End file.
